Multi-column type electron beam exposure apparatus

Abstract

A multi-column type electron beam exposure apparatus includes: plural column cells disposed over a wafer, each including an electron gun, deflector for deflecting an electron beam emitted by the electron gun, and exposure data receiving unit for receiving exposure data; and correction computing unit for calculating the exposure data for use in the column cells. The correction computing unit includes exposure data controlling unit and exposure data transmitting unit for each of the column cells. The exposure data transmitting unit encodes the exposure data corrected by the exposure data controlling unit to convert the data into serial data, converts the serial data into a light signal, and transmits the light signal. The exposure data receiving unit converts the light signal into an electric signal, and decodes the encoded exposure data to convert the data into parallel data.

1 . A multi-column type electron beam exposure apparatus, comprising: 
 a plurality of column cells disposed over a wafer, each including an electron gun, a deflector for deflecting an electron beam emitted by the electron gun, and an exposure data receiving unit for receiving exposure data; and    a correction computing unit for calculating the exposure data for use in the column cells,    wherein the correction computing unit includes an exposure data controlling unit and exposure data transmitting unit for each of the column cells,    the exposure data transmitting unit encodes the exposure data corrected by the exposure data controlling unit to convert the data into serial data, converts the serial data into a light signal, and transmits the light signal, and    the exposure data receiving unit converts the light signal into an electric signal, and decodes the encoded exposure data to convert the data into parallel data.    
     
     
         2 . The multi-column type electron beam exposure apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein, prior to performing the encoding, the exposure data transmitting unit combines the exposure data into a block in units of a predetermined number of bits, and forms an optical transmission frame for exposure data, which is configured of a multiplexed combination of a predetermined number of blocks.  
     
     
         3 . The multi-column type electron beam exposure apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein, prior to performing the encoding, the exposure data transmitting unit calculates a code for exposure data error detection for the exposure data, combines the code for exposure data error detection into a block in units of a predetermined number of bits, and forms an optical transmission frame for error detection, which is configured of a multiplexed combination of a predetermined number of blocks.  
     
     
         4 . The multi-column type electron beam exposure apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the code for exposure data error detection is calculated for each block representative of the exposure data.  
     
     
         5 . The multi-column type electron beam exposure apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the exposure data transmitting unit calculates a code for error detection for the code for exposure data error detection, and appends the calculated code to an optical transmission frame for error detection.  
     
     
         6 . The multi-column type electron beam exposure apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the exposure data transmitting unit shifts, bit by bit, the exposure data configured of a predetermined number of consecutive blocks aligned by bit position, in a direction of the consecutive blocks.  
     
     
         7 . The multi-column type electron beam exposure apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the code for exposure data error detection is ECC (error correcting code).  
     
     
         8 . The multi-column type electron beam exposure apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the code for error detection is CRC (cyclic redundancy check code).  
     
     
         9 . The multi-column type electron beam exposure apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a stage controller unit that controls a wafer stage, 
 wherein the exposure data transmitting unit receives a signal having a predetermined period from the stage controller unit, and transmits the exposure data based on the signal.    
     
     
         10 . The multi-column type electron beam exposure apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the exposure data receiving unit receives a signal having a predetermined period from the exposure data transmitting unit, and reads out the received exposure data based on the signal.  
     
     
         11 . The multi-column type electron beam exposure apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the predetermined period is longer than a transmission delay time of an exposure data signal that develops between the exposure data transmitting unit and the exposure data receiving unit.  
     
     
         12 . The multi-column type electron beam exposure apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the correction computing unit further includes an integrated exposure data controlling unit for performing integrated control on the exposure data controlling unit, and the integrated exposure data controlling unit receives the signal having the predetermined period from the stage controller unit through a pulse transformer, and transmits the signal to the exposure data transmitting unit.